Aviation Program Costs

Plan ahead with confidence. We provide a clear, semester-by-semester breakdown of anticipated costs so you know what to expect throughout your Wright State education. Financial aid — including scholarships, grants, and loans — can help reduce expenses, and with the Wright Guarantee Tuition Program, you’ll have predictable tuition to better manage your budget and graduate with less debt.

Semester 1

Semester 2

Semester 3

Semester 4

Semester 5

Semester 6

Semester 7

Semester 8

Additional expenses

Semester 1

Private Pilot

Cost Category	In-State	Out-of-State
Tuition (11-18 Credit Hours)¹	$5,908	$11,000
Required Fees	$225.75	$225.75
AVI 2002 Flight Lab Fees	$15,930	$15,930
Commuter Total	$22,063.75	$27,155.75
On-Campus Housing & Meals²	$5,252	$5,252
On-Campus Total	$27,315.75	$32,407.75

Semester 2

Instrument

Cost Category	In-State	Out-of-State
Tuition (11-18 Credit Hours)¹	$5,908	$11,000
Required Fees	$225.75	$225.75
AVI 2102 Flight Lab Fees	$12,330	$12,330
Commuter Total	$18,463.75	$23,555.75
On-Campus Housing & Meals²	$5,252	$5,252
On-Campus Total	$23,715.75	$28,807.75

Semester 3

Commercial 1

Cost Category	In-State	Out-of-State
Tuition (11-18 Credit Hours)¹	$5,908	$11,000
Required Fees	$225.75	$225.75
AVI 2202 Flight Lab Fees	$12,748	$12,748
Commuter Total	$18,881.75	$23,973.75
On-Campus Housing & Meals²	$5,252	$5,252
On-Campus Total	$24,133.75	$29,225.75

Semester 4

Commercial 2

Cost Category	In-State	Out-of-State
Tuition (11-18 Credit Hours)¹	$5,908	$11,000
Required Fees	$225.75	$225.75
AVI 2302 Flight Lab Fees	$18,694	$18,694
Commuter Total	$24,827.75	$29,919.75
On-Campus Housing & Meals²	$5,252	$5,252
On-Campus Total	$30,079.75	$35,171.75

Semester 5

Certified Flight Instructor

Cost Category	In-State	Out-of-State
Tuition (11-18 Credit Hours)¹	$5,908	$11,000
Required Fees	$225.75	$225.75
AVI 3002 Flight Lab Fees	$10,881	$10,881
Commuter Total	$17,014.75	$22,106.75
On-Campus Housing & Meals²	$5,252	$5,252
On-Campus Total	$22,266.75	$27,358.75

Semester 6

Certified Flight Instructor Instrument

Cost Category	In-State	Out-of-State
Tuition (11-18 Credit Hours)¹	$5,908	$11,000
Required Fees	$225.75	$225.75
AVI 3502 A/B Flight Lab Fees	$6,476	$6,476
Commuter Total	$12,609.75	$17,701.75
On-Campus Housing & Meals²	$5,252	$5,252
On-Campus Total	$17,861.75	$22,953.75

Semester 7

Multi-Engine Commercial

Cost Category	In-State	Out-of-State
Tuition (11-18 Credit Hours)¹	$5,908	$11,000
Required Fees	$225.75	$225.75
AVI 3702 A/B Flight Lab Fees	$9,911	$9,911
Commuter Total	$16,044.75	$21,136.75
On-Campus Housing & Meals²	$5,252	$5,252
On-Campus Total	$21,296.75	$26,388.75

Semester 8

Airline Transport Pilot

Cost Category	In-State	Out-of-State
Tuition (11-18 Credit Hours)¹	$5,908	$11,000
Required Fees	$225.75	$225.75
AVI 4502 Flight Lab Fees† (elective)	$8,790	$8,790
Commuter Total	$14,923.75	$20,015.75
On-Campus Housing & Meals²	$5,252	$5,252
On-Campus Total	$20,175.75	$25,267.75

Additional expenses

In addition to your tuition, flight lab fees, housing, and meals each semester, you will need to budget for the following upfront expenses as you enroll in the program as well as other expenses you will encounter each semester.

Initial expenses (as you begin the aviation program)

iPad — $1,000+ (Purchase cellular model with built-in GPS)
Annual ForeFlight Software Subscription — $200 (Discount through First Flight)
Headset — $300 to $600
Logbook — $10 to $20 (Bring to orientation with passport or birth certificate)

Semester expenses

Books and Reference Materials — $200 to $300
Ground Certification Exam — $125 to $175³
Checkride (FAA Designated Pilot Examiner Fee) — $800 to $1500⁴

¹Estimated direct, billable costs based on the Wright Guarantee tuition rate for academic year 2025-2026 for a typical 4-year curriculum. All fees are subject to change annually.

²Housing and meal estimates reflect double occupancy in The Woods, Gold campus dining plan, and activity/communications/hospitality fees.

³Every certification has a ground course that requires a test by the FAA

⁴Every certification has a flight lab that requires a checkride by an FAA Designated Pilot Examiner

†Participation in the flight lab is optional. Students who opt out will not be charged the associated fees.